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What to watch as Republicans gather in Dallas for Trump’s unusual midterm convention

From PBS NewsHour · () English

Translated from English and summarized by DistantNews. Read the original for the full story.

At a glance

Explainer Unnamed sources New plan
  • Republicans will gather in Dallas for a two-day midterm convention created by President Donald Trump to rally support before this year’s elections.
  • The unprecedented event will feature Trump speeches, more than 100 expected House members and candidates, and an open-to-the-public format resembling a rally.
  • Trump and party leaders hope the convention will energize voters and promote the administration’s record despite the president’s weakening poll numbers.

Republicans are heading to Dallas for a political event the party has never held before: a two-day midterm convention designed by President Donald Trump to rally supporters ahead of this year’s elections.

Trump has long floated the idea of recreating the spectacle of the presidential nominating conventions held every four years. The Dallas gathering will even end with a large balloon drop, but it will not nominate a presidential candidate because that decision has already been settled through primary contests. The event will also be open to the public, giving it the feel of a Trump rally.

Trump and Republican officials want the convention to generate enthusiasm and increase turnout. Midterm elections often challenge the party controlling Washington, and Trump has urged voters to act as if he himself were on the ballot. Republicans say the gathering will help propel their candidates into November while presenting the first two years of Trump’s term. Although his poll numbers are declining, Trump argues that running on his record offers Republicans their best chance to win.

More than 100 Republican House members and candidates are expected in Dallas, according to a person familiar with the event who requested anonymity before it begins. They were required to pay $25,000 for tickets and lodging, described by the source as typical for political conventions. Some lawmakers in competitive races said they would not attend or had not decided less than a week before the convention.

Trump is scheduled to speak both nights, delivering the keynote address on Wednesday and appearing again Thursday after Vice President JD Vance. The speaker list includes Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Attorney General Todd Blanche, Donald Trump Jr., former White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt, Texas Senate candidate Ken Paxton, Michigan Senate nominee Mike Rogers, House Speaker Mike Johnson and Texas Sen. Ted Cruz, along with other lawmakers and candidates.

Pretend, please, that I’m on the ballot

· Donald TrumpTrump urged supporters in South Carolina to turn out for Republican candidates in the midterm elections.
About this summary

Originally published by PBS NewsHour in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized automatically by DistantNews, with a note on how the source frames the story. Not individually reviewed before publishing. How this works.

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